VIIRS estimates of smoke over the central United States
As noted here, CSPP software now includes the ability to show reprojected values of Aerosol Optical Depth, in this case within AWIPS. The AOD from the NOAA-20 afternoon pass on 21 July shows extensive smoke over the Plains of Canada and the northern Plains of the USA. Clean air is confined to the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan. The Day Night band imagery at the same time is more distinct over the UP as well. Note, for example, how easy it is to see Lake Superior compared to Lake of the Woods on the Minnesota/Canada border, or Lake Manitoba.
AOD computation with VIIRS data requires visible bands that give no information at night (the ATBD for VIIRS AOD is here). Day Night Band imagery — with a near-full moon — gives information on smoke distribution based on, as above, how well surface features can be viewed.
VIIRS data from the CIMSS Direct Broadcast site — the source of these AWIPS images — can also be viewed online here.